Month: April 2013

The word seems to be getting around that SACHA is a great place to volunteer, but did you know that SACHA would not be able to do a lot of what it does, would not even exist, without volunteers?

Volunteers give over 10,000 hours to SACHA every year, including staffing the 24-support line and helping to train new volunteers, and running our big events – Take Back the Night, International Women’s Day and our fundraiser, Chocolate Fest. Volunteer committees perform many crucial tasks of governance, strategic planning, personnel, editing policies and more, and volunteers lend their wisdom, inspiration and skills to our staff.

As for our folks who use our service, here is what one woman said about SACHA volunteers: “I owe my life to the women on the [support] line. It is what has allowed me to hold on to hope.”

Thank you to our SACHA volunteers. We truly appreciate your time, energy and passion.

During International Women’s Week, SACHA and the YWCA were excited to launch a new program on McMaster’s campus – It’s Time… to end violence against women on campus.

Hammer City Roller Girls showed their support by coming to the launch in their full derby gear!

Leah’s, HCRG’s Vice President, said some amazing stuff about the campaign and how HCRG supports women’s empowerment:

Hello and happy International Women’s Week. I’d like to start by thanking the YWCA and SACHA for inviting the Hammer City Roller Girls (HCRG) to participate in the launch of this incredibly important project.

The HCRG is an all female, not-for-profit, skater operated, flat track roller derby league based in Hamilton and founded in 2006. The league is committed to promote female athleticism and teamwork, with a mandate support initiatives that better the lives of women and children in our community.

To the average outsider, a roller derby girl is tough and can overcome any obstacle in her way, but we know that we’re just as vulnerable as any other female member of the community, and do our best to support each other as teammates.

When we’re playing a game, the jammer – our point scorer – is more likely to be the target of the opposing team. As her teammates, we’re constantly looking to protect her, create a path for her, and give her a hand to whip her around faster on the track. On and off the track, we’re always looking out for each other.

We are proud of our city and love to contribute to it.

We know that when the women within a community succeed, the whole community can find success.

Obstacles to this success such as violence and oppression must be overcome and we know that the best way to stand up to it is to stand together.

The Hammer City Roller Girls will continue to lend support to the wider community at events like Take Back The Night and larger projects such as this one.
For more information about our league, it’s work within the community, our events and recruitment please visit hammercityrollergirls.ca

Thank you to HCRG for being such a strong supporter of SACHA and the work that we are doing!

You may remember Rhythms of Resistance Toronto’s women-identified contingent at Hamilton’s Take Back the Night hitting the streets, marching, making noise, dancing and creating amazing music to rise up to.Rhythms of Resistance Toronto loves Hamilton so much that they want to come back, but this time with the rest of the band and a new mission!You may know RoR from performance, all decked-out in tutus, glitter and combat boots, but that’s only a piece of who they are and what they do. The other sides of Rhythms of Resistance, as musicians and activists, includes community engagement and organizing projects, workshops, skill sharing, potlucks and parties, supporting and challenging ourselves and each other as we try and live our vision and affect change…and so much more.

They want to share all this with you!

With support from SACHA – Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton & Area) – and to recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month, RoR is coming to Hamilton once again to pass on our collective drumming skills, to pass on the knowledge and know-how (based on their own experiences) of creating affinity using music for social change, and rooting your practice in an anti-oppression framework.

Who knows? This could be the start of RoR Hamilton!

This is an open invitation. All genders and abilities welcome.

To make the workshop a success RoR needs your help collecting wine bottles, plastic food containers, drum sticks, wooden spoons, plastic water-cooler jugs, large buckets and whistles for the workshop.

Registration is sliding scale – $10-$30. All the funds will go towards the travel costs of the facilitators with any extra funds raised going to support SACHA’s amazing programs supporting survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Please pay what you can afford.